News

Small Wonder Labs Closes

Small Wonder Labs, a stalwart in the QRP arena since the mid-1990s, is closing its doors.

“There comes a time in everyone’s career when they’ve ‘had enough!’ I’ve reached that point,” SWL founder Dave Benson, K1SWL, announced October 10 on his website. “Effective immediately, I am closing Small Wonder Labs. I have discontinued sales of the RockMite and will ship out the last several dozen orders shortly.”

Benson says he’ll continue to support existing customers’ requests for replacement or missing RockMite parts “over the short term.” Benson said he is coordinating with another QRP vendor to assume production and sales of the RockMite. “I’ll keep the Small Wonder Labs website active for a year, and it’ll maintain documentation for my earlier products,” he added, noting that he does not keep parts inventory for long-discontinued products and that he does not have “just one more board” for any of his discontinued kits. “Please don’t ask!” he stressed, directing customers to the Kits and Parts dot com site.

SWL is also known for Benson’s SW and DSW-II series of transceivers and his PSK Warblers, among others. Now ensconced in the woods of New Hampshire, Benson said his home is finished and “it’s time for me to move on to other interests.” An electrical engineer from Connecticut, Benson started SWL in 1996, although he’s stepped back from his Amateur Radio activities in recent years. “I’d like to extend a heartfelt thanks to everyone who’s purchased my kits over the years,” he said. You’ve been great, and it was fun!”